Re-assessing the ‘Where’ of Violence: Subnational Ethnic Diversity and Wartime Violence in Liberia

While various country-level studies imply a higher inclination towards violence in diverse countries, the ’where’ of violence remains largely unexplored. This research delvesinto this gap by examining the effect of subnational ethnic diversity on the escalation ofwartime violence. Utilizing a unique clan-level ethnic composition data and the ArmedConflict Location & Event Dataset (ACLED), the study investigates the associationbetween ethnic heterogeneity and the escalation of violence during the Liberian civilwar. The findings reveal a complex relationship between ethnic polarization and different forms of wartime violence. While ethnic polarization positively correlates withprotests, it negatively associates with riots. Ethnic fractionalization, however, does notsignificantly predict any of the violence measures. These findings highlight the multifaceted nature of ethnic conflicts and the importance of considering additional factorswhen assessing the consequences of ethnic diversity in conflict situations.